Related Stories

Cal Clutterbuck wouldn’t go as far as to call Taylor Hall’s hit on him dirty.

“I don’t think it was clean,” the Minnesota Wild winger said of the collision with the Oilers forward Thursday night in Edmonton.

Nor would Clutterbuck, who needed crutches to get around the Saddledome Friday and won’t play against the Calgary Flames Saturday (8 p.m., CBC), delve too deeply into Hall’s actions.

“I think it’s a little reckless,” said Clutterbuck, who is out of action due to a thigh contusion. “I’ve been in that situation a lot of times, personally, so I know there’s a fine line between milliseconds and split-seconds. Personally, I probably wouldn’t put myself in that situation, but he made a decision — he was probably a little frustrated with the way the game was going — and here we are.”

Hall received a two-game suspension and will forfeit US$9,729.72 in salary. It’s the first time the 21-year-old winger has been suspended.

Clutterbuck was more emotional when told a segment of the NHL world saw the hit as Karma. The Wild winger has never been suspended or fined, but is considered a player who straddles the line of hitting players late and recklessly.

“I play a reckless game?” Clutterbuck responded. “Show me a reckless play that I created. I don’t agree with that.

“That’s just the way it is. That’s just peoples’ perception and it’s unfortunate, obviously, but I’m a big boy.”

A few simple clicks around YouTube will find some Clutterbuck collisions which could be termed as reckless, including one against Hall, and it makes him a target for others around the league.

“People don’t like getting hit. I don’t like getting hit,” Clutterbuck said. “That tends to frustrate people, and when you get frustrated, you tend to do things that are maybe out of your character and you see red a little bit.

“I understand being as physical as I am, that can cause frustration in other people, it’s part of the reason I’m effective.”

Still, that doesn’t make Hall’s hit acceptable.

“I was skating up the ice and all of a sudden, I kinda got my leg kinda taken out,” Clutterbuck said. “I didn’t really see anything happening. That’s all I know. Usually, when I’ve got the puck, I’m pretty aware. When I don’t have the puck, it’s obviously out of my control.”

Sponsored Links

Clutterbuck speaks out on Hall's hit

Cal Clutterbuck wouldn’t go as far as to call Taylor Hall’s hit on him dirty.

“I don’t think it was clean,” the Minnesota Wild winger said of the collision with the Oilers forward Thursday night in Edmonton.

Nor would Clutterbuck, who needed crutches to get around the Saddledome Friday and won’t play against the Calgary Flames Saturday (8 p.m., CBC), delve too deeply into Hall’s actions.

“I think it’s a little reckless,” said Clutterbuck, who is out of action due to a thigh contusion. “I’ve been in that situation a lot of times, personally, so I know there’s a fine line between milliseconds and split-seconds. Personally, I probably wouldn’t put myself in that situation, but he made a decision — he was probably a little frustrated with the way the game was going — and here we are.”

Hall received a two-game suspension and will forfeit US$9,729.72 in salary. It’s the first time the 21-year-old winger has been suspended.